Boston Landing Station Earns Envision Silver Award

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure honored the newly completed Boston Landing project with an Envision Silver award. The station is the first transit project in New England to achieve Envision verification, recognized in the Quality of Life category.

Due to the construction of the Massachusetts Turnpike during the 1950s,the Allston-Brighton neighborhood lost its extensive rail and freight transportation options. The creation of the Boston Landing Station provides sustainable transportation options to a community that hasn’t had rail access in 45 years.

The project team, which included NB Development Group, Skanska, and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, worked together with key stakeholders to emphasize easy commuter access and increased safety in the downtown area. The project will stimulate sustainable growth and development in the area while improving locality and reducing commute times.

PHOTO: Pi.1415926535 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

To better serve commuters, the project team designed a new railway platform to connect with pedestrian walkways, bike paths, bus routes, and roads. Additionally, a covered bike-storage area was installed to encourage cyclists to use the station despite inclement weather conditions.

The team incorporated improved safety and visibility features in the project. Emergency call boxes, CCTV security systems, and more than 30 cameras were placed throughout the platform, pedestrian bridge, and bike storage area. Enhanced LED lighting, street lighting, and sidewalk improvements were implemented to increase visibility day or night.

Just over 50 percent of the materials used on the Boston Landing Station include recycled content. Around 95 percent of materials required for this project were sourced from local suppliers that are within the distance requirements built into the Envision framework.

The ISI Envision rating system measures sustainable infrastructure projects in five categories: quality of life, leadership, natural world, resource allocation, and climate and risk. Learn more about Envision and ISI at sustainableinfrastructure.org.